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Sept. 18, 2008 Edition

<Triplets
Born to Clarington Couple
Triplets! Amanda Isaacs and her husband Ryan are now at home with their
three daughters, Annalisa, Audrey, and Ariel, who were born on
July 25, 2008. Amanda and the babies are shown with maternal
great-grandmother Beverly Goddard, left, and maternal grandmother
Sheila Neely, right.
Photo by Martha Ackerman

by Martha Ackerman
Staff Writer
When Amanda and Ryan Isaacs, of
Clarington, found out they were going to be parents, they had no idea what
was ahead of them!
During the second month check-up, the
doctor informed Amanda and Ryan they were not having one baby, but three!
Triplets!
The young couple was shocked and
excited when they learned the news. There were no fertility drugs taken to
account for the multiple births.
“It hit me hard,” said Ryan. “I had
to sit down when I heard the news.”
According to Ryan, they had purchased
a baby bed and essentials for one baby. So it was back to the drawing board
and figuring out what they would need for three babies.
Because of toxemia, the babies were
delivered early by cesarean section at Allegheny General Hospital in
Pittsburgh. The medical staff in Wheeling transferred Amanda by ambulance.
Ryan arrived at the hospital before the ambulance, but not without incident
– he was stopped by a Pennsylvania motorcycle policeman and given a ticket.
The officer told him the ticket would be in the mail, but as yet, he has not
received it. Maybe the officer took pity on the expectant father.
The triplets, Ariel Nicole, Annalisa
Michelle and Audrey Rena, arrived on July 25.
Annalisa was the first to make an
appearance. Her identical twin Audrey arrived next and Ariel was the last to
arrive. Annalisa weighed in at three pounds, eight-and-a-half ounces and was
16 inches long; Audrey was three pounds, 11-and-one-half ounces and
16-and-three-quarters inches long and Ariel was four pounds, five ounces and
17 inches long.
The darling little girls are gaining
weight and doing well. At almost seven weeks, Annalisa and Audrey now weigh
about five pounds and Ariel weighs six pounds, 10 ounces. The little girls
surely keep their family busy.
It is a hectic schedule to keep the
triplets fed and dry. Members of the family are up every two to
two-and-a-half hours for feeding and changing. Sometimes the little girls
get up one at a time which makes it easier on family members, noted Amanda.
The couple, who met over the
internet, has a lot of family support. They live with Amanda’s
great-grandmother Beverly Goddard, who is awakened if help is needed during
the night.
According to Amanda, they use 18-20
bottles or one and-a-half quarts of ready-to-feed formula a day and usually
almost a full 24 package of diapers per day.
Amanda’s mother Sheila Neely and her
sister Holly Merideth are always on call. Others helping out are Amanda’s
sister Jerrica Neely, Ryan’s sister Jackie Isaacs and his parents Dennis and
Peggy Isaacs of New Martinsville.
“There are always three people in the
house,” said Holly, who is getting lots of hands-on experience for when her
baby boy arrives in December.
“I couldn’t wait to be a
grandmother,” said Sheila. “But I couldn’t breathe when they told me it was
triplets.”
Are there brothers and sisters in the
future for Ariel, Annalisa and Audrey? Ryan and Amanda both say an emphatic
’no.’ The doctor told them that with triplets born in the first pregnancy,
the probability is higher that the next one would also be multiple
births.
Other maternal grandparents are the
late Gerald Neely and step-grandfather Tony Chappell of Lewisville. Linda
Neely of New Matamoras is also a great-grandmother. Paternal
great-grandparents are Paul and Dottie Isaacs of New Martinsville and Jean
Lipscomb of Sistersville.
The couple has already decided how
they will celebrate the girls’ first birthday–a trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo.
We’ll catch up with Ryan, Amanda and
the girls in about a year.

Tracy
Healy and Chuck Warner, standing, Warner Concepts LLC, discuss the
community engagement agenda with Switzerland of Ohio Local School District
officials, from left Teresa Gallagher, a member of the school board, Larry
Elliott, district superintendent, and George Richardson, assistant
superintendent. Photo by Arlean Selvy

Community members gather for engagement process with school officials.

Monroe County Economic Developer Tom Scott speaks with Larry
Elliott, Superintendent of the SOLSD at the 'meet and greet' held at Monroe
County Job and Family Services Sept. 11. Also shown is Suzanne Pollock of
the Monroe Arts Council.

Seven
business consultants from various programs under the umbrella of Ohio
University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, Athens, spoke
at a Sept. 11 ‘Meet and Greet’ luncheon held at the JFS building in
Woodsfield. Seated from left are Phyllis Bohning, Anna Jensen and Matt
Strader. Standing from left, Kevin Aspergren, director; Bethany George,
Sharon Hopkins and Paul Kinghorn
Photo by Arlean Selvy

by Arlean Selvy
Publisher
A capacity crowd filled the
conference room at the Job and Family Services building last week to learn
about help available through Ohio University’s Voinovich School of
Leadership and Public Affairs.
The “Meet and Greet” luncheon,
facilitated by Tom Scott, workforce/economic developer, was held Sept. 11.
The Voinovich School, located in
Athens, has a long history of serving the region and the state by building
public leadership capacity and providing applied research and technical
assistance. The school works with a variety of local, regional, and state
government and non-profit agencies, helping them to better meet their
missions of serving Ohio and its people.
Paul Kinghorn, business consultant,
asked for suggestions about what types of events
would help in the growth of Monroe County. Being familiar with Team Monroe,
Kinghorn commended team members in attendance. Among others, Hugh Hyer and
Joe Urbanek, co-chairs of Team Monroe’s Incubator Committee, were in the
group.
The Voinovich School helps to build
leadership capacity in the state with its leadership training programs for
public and non-profit managers. These programs include the Ohio University
Executive Leadership Institute, the Ohio Appalachian Edu-cators Institute
and the Ohio Certified Public Manager Program.
The Voinovich School also provides
value-added research and technical assistance to government and non-profit
organizations, covering areas such as safety net services, health care,
education, and community development. The school helps develop solutions to
the problems facing these organizations by providing project facilitation
and evaluation, data analysis for use in decision-making, geographic
information systems support, and survey and focus group research, and
through the innovative application of technology.
The Voinovich School plays an
important role in promoting entrepreneurship and competitiveness in
Appalachian Ohio. This region has traditionally been underserved by
those providing sophisticated business expertise, especially in the areas of
technology assistance and financing.
With the Appalachian Region-al
Entrepreneurship Group, the Small Business Development Center and the
Procurement Technical Assistance Center the school provides operational and
technical assistance to both start-up and existing businesses. Through a
combination of unique programs and partnerships, the Voinovich School helps
provide this assistance and increases the economic competitiveness of the
region.
The meeting concluded with a question
and answer session - which also included a number of helpful suggestions.
See story and additional photo on our
website: monroecountybeacononline.com

by Arlean Selvy
Publisher
Monroe County Commission-ers at their
Sept. 9 meeting awarded the bid for fencing on the Sykes Ridge – Fish Pot
Water project, made an appointment to the Workforce Investment Act Board and
another to the Monroe County District Library Board.
According to Mary Jo Westfall, OSU
Extension, grant administrator, two bids were received for fencing around
the water tank on Sykes Ridge for Clarington’s water extension project.
Bidding were Valley Fencing Co. LLC, Wheeling, and Babcock Fence Co.
of Lowell. The bid was awarded to the Wheeling firm, which had the lowest
bid at $15,039. Babcock Fencing Co. submitted a bid for $15,155. The
engineer’s estimate was $18,000.
Noting the approximate $3,000 left
from the CDBG grant, Commission President John Pyles asked where the excess
would be used. Westfall said she will make a recommendation later. She noted
it might be added to the Benton Twp. Project for concrete costs for the
basketball court
On a motion by Commissioner Bill
Thompson, Mike Cisler, Brownsville , will be a labor representative on the
WIA Board. Officials appointed Lida Conn, Clarington, to represent
businesses and will later appoint an individual to replace Misty Atkinson,
who has submitted her resignation from the board.
Rodney Rufener of Sardis was
appointed to replace Sylvia Bowen on the district library board, effective
Sept. 9.
Permission was given for Oxford Oil
Co. to dispense salt brine on county roads 53, 35, 39, 69, 33, 82, 54, 77,
78 and 79 through Oct. 1.
Commissioners called for an executive
session at 9:27 a.m. concerning a grievance filed at Monroe County
Care Center. Attending were Kelly Hill, director, MCCC, and Mike Seyer of
Clemons, Nelson and Asso-ciates. Several employees were also in attendance.
The session ended at 10 a.m. and, in open session, commissioners denied the
grievance.
Jodi Black, regional director with My
Ohio Now, approached officials about a resort/casino complex proposed for
Clinton County on I-71 and SR73 near Wilmington. Black said the
proposed casino would be the “largest private economic development project
of the 21st Century in Ohio.”
The Nov. 4 ballot will place Issue 6
before voters. If passed, it would allow a $600 million gambling and
entertainment casino to be built in Ohio.
County commissioners meet each
Tuesday beginning at 9 a.m.

Kristin
Lallathin, daughter of Michael and Chrystal Lallathin, chose the blue rose
to become Beallsville High School’s 2008 Homecoming Queen. She was escorted
by Tyler Thornberry, son of Christan and Travis Thornberry.

WILSON “WICK” FRY
Wilson “Wick” Fry, 93, SR 7,
Hannibal, died Sept. 9, 2008, at Wheeling Medical Park. He was born Aug. 16,
1915 in Duffy, the son of the late David William and Lena Marie Geisler Fry.
Sympathy expressions at grisellfuneralhomes.com

HOLDEN M. CONNER
Holden Michael Conner, 2 month old
son of Jasmine Nicole Headley and Brandon Michael Conner of Williamstown,
W.Va., died Sept. 10, 2008, at Marietta Memorial Hospital. He was born June
24 in Marietta. Online guest register is available at www.ingramfh.com

DORIS M. KEYLOR
Doris M. Keylor, 90, Woodsfield, died Sept. 7, 2008, at the Woodsfield
Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was born May 18, 1918 in Woods-field,
a daughter of the late Cletis and Mary Bohnam Truax.
Online condolences can be expressed at www.bauerturner.com

SHIRLEY D. GILMORE
Shirley D. Gilmore, 65 of Harter
Cemetery Rd., Hannibal, died Sept. 15, 2008, in Wheeling Hospital Medical
Park. She was born Jan. 7, 1943 in New Martinsville, the daughter of Zola
Leasure Sidenstricker of New Martinsville, and the late Edward G.
Sidenstricker.

LOTTIE MAE SCOTT
Lottie Mae Scott, 88, Canton, died
Sept. 4, 2008. She was born Feb. 2, 1920 in Graysville, the daughter of the
late Harry and Mattie Hall.
Send condolences or share a fond
memory at the Reed Online Guestbook at www.reedfuneralhome.com

KEITH S. CLAUS
Keith S. Claus, 80, Massillon, died Sept. 12, 2008, a son of the late Frank
and Stella Schrader Claus. He was born Jan. 12, 1928 in Miltonsburg, Monroe
County. On-line Guestbook at www.reedfuneralhome.com

Dear Editor,
Just a quick note to make everyone
aware of some of Ohio’s cruelty to animals statutes:
Statute Number 959.01 regarding
abandoning animals states “No owner or keeper of a dog, cat, or other
domestic animal, shall abandon such animal.”
Under “Specific Offenses” number
959.13 (A) No person shall: (1) “Torture an animal, deprive one of necessary
sustenance, unnecessarily or cruelly beat, needlessly mutilate or kill, or
impound or confine an animal without supplying it during such confinement
with a sufficient quantity of good wholesome food and water.”
Pursuant to Chapter 1717 Humane
Societies, Statute Number 1717.13 states “When, in order to protect any
animal from neglect, it is necessary to take possession of it, any person
may do so. When an animal is impounded or confined, and continues without
necessary food, water, or proper attention for more than 15 successive
hours, any person may, as often as is necessary, enter any place in which
the animal is impounded or confined and supply it with necessary food,
water, and attention, so long as it remains there, or, if necessary or
convenient, he may remove such animal; and he shall not be liable to an
action for such entry…The necessary expenses for food and attention given to
an animal under this section may be collected from the owner of such animal,
and the animal shall not be exempt from levy and sale upon execution issued
upon a judgment for such expenses.”
The complete list of statutes can be
found by typing ‘Ohio Cruelty to Animals Statutes” in the browser search box
of your personal computer.
Thank you, Kim Brunner
Beallsville
Dear Editor,
A Vote of Conscience (Should Politics
and Religion Ever Mix?)
by Sonny Childs
On September 11, 2001, America
watches as 3,000 of her citizens were burned or crushed to death beneath the
rubble of smoldering buildings and mangled airplanes. Since that time, we
have witnessed Americans held hostage, murdered, their bodies dragged
through the streets of Islamic cities and even decapitated for the whole
world to see. We live in dangerous times. If ever we needed the protection
of God that time is now.
I sincerely believe that the 2008
elections could be the most important of our lifetimes. For that reason, I
plead with you to consider these concerns that I have about the compromises
we are making as Christians today. Around 1963 prayer and Bible reading were
removed from our public schools. Humanism and evolution quickly filled the
gap. Just 10 years later, abortion became a legal form of birth control.
Since that time, more unborn children have lost their lives than all the men
and women from all of America’s wars put together. By 1985, America had the
highest divorce rate in the entire world leaving countless broken homes and
abandoned children in its wake. In May of 2004, gay marriage became legal in
Massachusetts and from Boston to San Francisco activist judges legislate
their will over that of the people.
Less than 50 years have passed, yet
America has fallen so far. How long will God be patient?
In 2 Chronicles 7:14-15, God promised
the ancient Hebrew people, “If My people who are called by My name will
humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked
ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal
their land.” God also said, “Righteous-ness exalts a nation, but sin is a
reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34.
I firmly believe that the promises
above were not limited to the ancient Hebrews but also given to any nation
that will humble, seek, pray and turn from wickedness. We must keep
ourselves centered on these promises and our concern for America is rooted
in God’s consistent nature. He will bless if we will turn. He will destroy
if we do not.
Now more than ever it is time for
America’s Christians to lay aside their worldly priorities and again put God
and His values first. If we continue the ways of the past by dividing
ourselves over political parties and materialistic agendas, God’s consistent
nature will bring us to destruction. But if we rally to His cry and again
place principle before party and morals before materialism, I am convinced
that he will hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.
For those who are more loyal to a
political agenda than they are to God’s values this message will be
offensive. I am convinced America’s problems result more from Christian
compromise than they do from any other source.
For God’s values to thrive, God’s
people must rise. We must stand behind leaders who honor and submit to
Divine guidance. We must support them not because of party but because of
principle. We must throw off the worldly loyalties that have so long been an
entanglement to us and embrace anew the very purpose we have for living. We
must put God and His principles first in all that we say and do.
John Jay, the original Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court, had this to say about the way he felt Christians
should vote, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers.
And it is the duty as well as privilege, and interest of our Christian
nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” Surely John Jay
would have much to say to the courts of today and the Christians who helped
fill them with liberal judges.
It is my sincerest prayer to
challenge you and convict you to vote for those who will vote for God.
Nothing matters more than the furtherance of His values. America’s security
does not depend upon her nuclear programs, foreign policies or a robust
economy. America’s security depends upon Christians. If God’s people who are
called by His name will seek His face and repent of their love affair with
worldly priorities, He will forgive our sins and will heal our land. America
will be secure when America’s Christians return to God.
Wilma West
Jerusalem

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging
word cheers a person up.
Lazy people don’t even cook the game
they catch, but the diligent make use of everything they find.
Have you ever been surprised? It’s
more fun to surprise someone. How about surprising someone or some
folks when they are doing something wrong? Could be dangerous but a
lot of fun, maybe.
It happened to me last Friday night.
When attending Monroe Central football games I normally park behind
the old youth center building. Because of the crowd attending the
River game, we decided to leave a few minutes early to beat the
rush.
I usually unlock my car some distance
before I get to it. Well, as it was dark behind the building I hit
the button early. Now, when I unlock my car after dark in that
manner, the headlights and inside lights come on full steam.
When I pushed the button and my
lights came on, I spotted a few figures, male I think, running from
the back of my car like bigfoot was chasing them. I think one of
them was taking a drink from his can of Sprite. I thought maybe it
was Mountain Dew. Then I remember the stands sold only Coke
products.
I began to wonder why would any one
go behind a building and drink Sprite. It isn’t announced any more
but the school board does not allow alcohol to be around during
school functions. Everyone knows this.
These fellows couldn’t have been
around in the dark drinking beer or could they? Sorry to spoil your
fun, fellows.
We get all excited shortly after
school starts with the fall sports getting underway. I do enjoy
watching fans that really get in to voicing, or should I say yelling
their support for their teams. Having been a field announcer for so
many years, I have a few choice words, when Ohio State plays like
they did last Saturday against Ohio U.
When I was in grade school, I missed
out on all this excitement. Although we threw a football around when
I was in high school I can’t remember the first football game I saw.
Our season in grade school, when we
started back, was Tin Can Shinny. We looked at times during the
summer for just the right club to whack the can.
We had a good playing field. Long and
narrow. The alley in front of the school house.
Kind of narrow but long. Recess and
noon was our playing time. No parents, referees or teachers and we
made up our own rules, sometimes when needed on the spot. Kids today
do not know what they are missing.
I sometimes wonder how dumb
individuals think some people are. For example, I recently received
six checks in the mail totaling $2400. The catch being I could spend
them only on a certain thing. One check for $300 was good for buying
a camera. I thought that must be some camera. Checking the price,
the camera was listed for $449. I’m sure I’ve seen the same camera
or one like it for $149 or less. I know I had to take dummy math but
even I could figure out it was no bargain.
A teacher was trying to make the
pupils think, so she asked some tricky questions. “Johnny,” she
said, “Give me an example of ‘nothing’.” Johnny did not hesitate.
“Nothing,” he said, “is a balloon with its skin off.”
Just a thought: I wonder if all
football fans are hard of hearing? The music played before the game
is not for those up town but for the fans coming to the stands
before the game. I thought maybe it was just my hearing aids until I
turned them off. It was still loud.
I finally got to see a horse pulling
contest at the Noble County Fair. I hadn’t watched one since they
quit having horse pulls at our fair. I remember the horse pull was
the first evening of our fair for years. Far cry from a mud bog.
I guess the reason I enjoyed the
horse pulls was I was well acquainted with many of the owners of the
pulling teams and tractor and truck pulls hadn’t been thought of at
the time. Plus, my team of a retired race horse and small mule could
probably not even move the empty sled. I, perhaps, thought how nice
it would be to own a large team like the pullers. Then it would take
three or four times the feed my little old mule Tom would eat.
I did notice most of the fair size
crowd in the grandstand was older folks. Very few young folks. I
expect maybe many of them were getting ready to sell their 4-H and
FFA projects.
I did run into a friend from Fairview
who had some experience with me and our team. He and his wife drove
down to just watch the horse pull.
I did enjoy the pull and will
probably go back next year, if they still hold one. I enjoyed
it and couldn’t help but tighten up and try to help when the pulling
got tough. I haven’t had a good sniff of horse for a long time.
I can’t quit without a word about the
Monroe Central Marching Band. They are doing an excellent job and
it’s good to see their accomplishments in just a year’s time. It
sure makes the halftime break more enjoyable. Keep up the good work.
If you’re going to have an exercise
program, start by exercising kindness.
Try church this Sunday, OK?
Bible readings: (Mon.) Numbers
6:22-27; (Tues.) Matthew 25:31-40; (Wed.) Matthew 7:24-29; (Thurs.)
Romans 12:9-13; (Fri.) Romans 12:14-21; (Sat.) I Peter 3:8-15;
(Sun.) Matthew 5:1-16.